Best & Worst Movies of 2017 (So Far)

Believe it or not, we've passed the halfway point of 2017! Next thing you know it will be 2018 already! Now, last year I cobbled together the Summer 2016 Movie Season In Review to enlighten viewers on five fantastic films they may have missed out on in addition to five stinkers they should stay away from. This year I decided to share my personal ranking of all this year's releases thus far because towards the latter end of the year I suspect these films may not retain their position. I'll include a short blurb justifying each film's position on the respective list but you can visit my full reviews for all of these by clicking the blue hyperlinks with the titles. Keep in mind though that this is my personal ranking and I'm only qualifying the films I've seen this year so if one of your favorite/least favorite flicks didn't make either list, then I may not have ever seen it or I simply didn't like/dislike it as much as you did. Regardless of whether you agree with my opinion or not, I hope you at least enjoy reading my perspective of this year in cinema so far.

Worst Of 2017 (So Far)

Dis-Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical order): The Belko Experiment and The Great Wall.

5. The Fate of the Furious

I'm sure this will be my most controversial pick on either of my lists but The Fate of the Furious is absolutely idiotic. The only Fast & Furious movies I've truly enjoyed are 5-7, which launched the franchise in a completely different direction. However, F8 tests the limit of that mileage to an absurd degree. There are no longer stakes, the action's senseless, and there's simply no more creative fuel left over in the franchise's tank. 

4. The Mummy (2017)

The Mummy is an example of how not to establish a cinematic universe. The Mummy simply gets too wrapped up building a world for these monsters to thrive in that the stand-alone story decays as a consequence.

3. Transformers: The Last Knight

Transformers: The Last Knight didn't disappoint me per se but it didn't redeem the franchise either. The Last Knight just meanders about for two and half hours with very few redeeming qualities. It's just a lot of visual noise with zero substance underneath.

2. A Cure for Wellness

A Cure For Wellness was deeply disturbing and featured some of the most unsettling scenes I've seen in the cinema all year. It was entirely off-kilter but in the worst ways imaginable. So it comes as no surprise that the film delivers on the title's promise, sickening from start to finish. 

1. The Circle

The Circle was the closest I got to bestowing a grade of an "F" this year because it was a sophomoric slog. I know that the captivating concept and accomplished actors make it seem promising but whatever you do, don't circle around for this one because it's an utter waste of time.

Best Of 2017 (So Far)

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical order): Alien: Covenant, Beauty and the Beast (2017), Get Out, John Wick: Chapter 2, and The LEGO Batman Movie.

5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

I understand I'm of the unpopular opinion that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is better than the first but I think everyone can agree that it was a fun time and I had a blast all three times I went to the theater. I enjoyed getting to galavant across space with these miscreants and really getting to the core of what makes each character tick while often laughing hysterically.  

4. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming marks the third time Sony's attempted to launch a Spider-Man franchise following Raimi's trilogy and the two Amazing Spider-Man movies directed by Mark Webb. What makes Homecoming interesting though is how expertly it captures the character while swinging in a different direction by placing Spidey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Homecoming feels like the perfect portrayal of Spider-Man and is easily the most entertaining incarnation of the web-head since Spider-Man 2.

3. Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman not only was a change of pace for the DCEU but a landmark shift for female lead superhero movies. Wonder Woman remains invigorating, visceral, and intense in the heightened moments of WW1 action while reserving time for worthwhile character development and story progression. I've watched Wonder Woman five times now and am continually blown away. 

2. Logan

Logan is the first superhero movie that I whole-heartingly believe deserves to be in the conversation for Oscar gold. In fact, it's my favorite comic book movie to date! Not only was Logan a sensational and sentimental send-off to Hugh Jackman but a fantastic film in its own right that definitely deserves the acclaim.

1. Baby Driver

It was a huge toss-up between the No. 1 and 2 slots on this list considering Logan and Baby Driver were the only films this year I've honored with the distinction of my "A+" rating. Ultimately, I had more fun with Baby Driver though thanks to a varied soundtrack full of rockin' tunes, outrageously entertaining action sequences, and charismatic characters. The love and care that Edgar Wright poured into Baby Driver really shows and I'd say it's an excellent example of meticulous masterclass filmmaking. 

'The Circle' Review

The Circle adapts the 2013 novel that follows the ordinary Mae Holland stuck in a temp customer service position till her friend Annie scores her an interview with tech conglomerate The Circle, a tech company marrying the concepts behind Google and Facebook. Mae gets a job at The Circle of course and soon discovers the company's latest innovation is a small spherical camera that can broadcast live video from anywhere. Mae quickly rises through the ranks and makes the decision to become totally transparent in her everyday life by wearing one of these cameras on her person at all times after a life-changing event (except for when she uses the restroom, so you don't worry about that unsettling idea). 

If that idea doesn't strike you as frightening, I don't know what will and that's where The Circle falls flat on its face. The Circle had plenty of potential to be a terrifying tech thriller offering commentary on current social media trends. For proof of this all you have to do is look at the talent working behind it with an indie director on the rise James Ponsoldt and an all-star cast including the likes of Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, Karen Gillan, Patton Oswalt, and John Boyega. 

Unfortunately, that's just not the case considering The Circle was a chore to sit through. James Ponsoldt's direction allows the most charismatic actors working today to come across as mundane and bland, largely due to the lifeless script these actors were provided. The narrative flow is an incoherent slog and every-time the story appears to chart a more interesting course, it goes in the opposite direction. The film's ending doesn't even have any resolution and finality to it. I don't mind an open-ended finale but this one just doesn't work. 

On-top of that, the dialogue is atrocious and basic social interactions between the characters feels forced. For example, Tom Hanks' character Bailey showcases some sketchy innovations and hardly a single person in the crowd has any qualms whatsoever for what I'd consider to be a very controversial advancements. They applaud and laugh at almost everything he does like trained monkeys regardless of whether his comment warranted a laugh or not. There's no conflict in a movie that centers around a incredibly controversial topic. Oh, and I haven't mentioned that Ponsoldt even co-wrote the screenplay alongside Dave Eggers, the author of the source material, so it's not like Ponsoldt didn't have someone working with him that understood the fundamental ideas of the book. Circles normally have arcs but Ponsoldt and Eggers must have forgotten rudimentary geometry when penning The Circle's screenplay because the characters certainly don't have any. 

My grievances haven't even touched the uninspired cinematography and messy editing that plague this flick, and if you're looking to the talented A-list cast to be the saving grace of this movie, you better look elsewhere because they two are trapped in mind-numbingly mediocre roles. The performances are okay but that's rather pathetic for this accomplished ensemble and it's clear most are in it for the paycheck. Emma Watson's Mae Holland remains The Circle's center in what I consider her dreariest turn yet, while Tom Hanks, Patton Oswalt, Karen Gillan, and John Boyega are relegated to The Circle's circumference with almost nothing to do whatsoever.  

Hanks is the more significant presence of the bunch as a twisted Steve Jobs but even he is degraded to a few scenes. Boyhood star Ellar Coltrane is really the only actor to turn in a bad performance among the ensemble. Coltrane's Mercer comes across as whiny and obnoxious due to the soporific script and poor direction and as a result, his character fails to strike the emotional chord the screenplay was aiming towards. 

I feel it's worth mentioning that the recently passed Bill Paxton plays Mae's father Vinnie, a character diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and actually gives a great performance with the screen time provided. Paxton may not show up much but he put forth a seemingly accurate portrayal of someone with M.S. and it really bummed me out to see his final film performance be attached to something so forgettable. 

In conclusion, The Circle is the wasted potential of such a compelling contemporary concept that's downright dishonorable to the esteemed ensemble involved. I guess The Circle succeeded in resembling it's namesake as a flat and hollow doldrum, except that it's not very well-rounded. 

Film Assessment: D-